Yotam Ottolenghi

Feta-stuffed koftas
Tamal Ray
Quick lamb and
halloumi flatbreads
£1 meals
Pea and potato
pav bhaji
Ravinder Bhogal
Sardine pakoras
with raita
Felicity Cloake
Perfect crab rarebit
Kitchen aide
Are you using
too much salt?
Rachel Roddy
Fried polenta
with cheese
Ravneet Gill
Cherry muffin cake
Grace Dent
‘One of those
menus I’ll keep
going back to’

Red hot
Chantelle Nicholson’s harissa tomatoes

Issue No.281 Saturday 10 June 2023

2 Feast The Guardian Saturday 10 June 2023
 Yotam Baked feta and
dill frittata

Ottolenghi
Prep 5 min If ever there was a way to feature
Cook 20 min feta, it’s this frittata with a block of
Serves 4-6 the cheese in its middle. I consider
Cost About £1.20 this a breakfast dish, but it works
a head just as well as a summer lunch or
as part of a picnic spread.
8 large eggs
Fine sea salt and
black pepper Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/
200g feta gas 4. Break the eggs into a medium
50ml olive oil
1½ tsp cumin seeds,
bowl, add a half-teaspoon of salt
coarsely ground in and a good grind of pepper, whisk
a mortar well and set aside.
I knew I was on to a good thing when 1 onion, peeled and
finely chopped
Use a ruler to measure the
thickness of the block of feta – if it’s
my new test kitchen colleague Katja (180g)
120g baby spinach thicker than 1½cm, carefully trim it
Tausig started talking about and 45g dill, finely down to this thickness and crumble
chopped
cooking with feta. For a team whose the offcuts into the egg mixture.
¼ tsp aleppo chilli
½ lemon, cut into Keep the rest of the feta block whole.
mantra might well be ‘everything’s better 4 wedges Put a small, roughly 17cm-wide,
with feta!’, her enthusiasm, and desire to nonstick, ovenproof saute pan on a
medium-high heat and add 45ml oil.
dedicate a whole column to this briny, Once hot, add a teaspoon of cumin,
tangy, salty cheese, meant that the fit cook for a minute, until fragrant,
then add the onion and a quarter-
was complete. So here’s to welcoming teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring,
Katja and to celebrating feta: crumble it, for three minutes, until the onion is
translucent. Stir in the spinach and
bake it, blitz it, stuff with it, showcase it.
PHOTOGRAPHS: LOUISE HAGGER/THE GUARDIAN. FOOD STYLING: EMILY KYDD. PROP STYLING:

all but a tablespoon of the dill, and

cook for two minutes, until the
JENNIFER KAY. FOOD STYLING ASSISTANT: SUSANNA UNSWORTH. INSET: GETTY IMAGES

spinach wilts and the dill is fragrant.

Pour the beaten eggs into the pan
and stir to combine with the onion
mix. Nestle the feta in the centre
of the pan, so it’s three-quarters
submerged by egg, then drizzle the
remaining teaspoon of oil and last
half-teaspoon of cumin on top.
Transfer to the oven, bake for 15
minutes, then remove and turn the
grill to its highest setting.
Pop the pan on the top shelf of
the grill and cook for two minutes,
until the frittata is golden brown and
the top of the feta slightly coloured.
Using a spatula, release the
frittata from the pan, then carefully
slide it on to a platter. Sprinkle over
the remaining dill and the aleppo
chilli, and serve warm or at room
temperature with the lemon wedges
on the side. 

Vegetarian Vegan Gluten free Dairy free Feast 3

 Feta-stuffed
koftas with
grilled peppers

Prep 15 min You can marinate the peppers and

Cook 45 min shape the koftas a day ahead. Serve
Serves 4-6 with rice and a green salad.
Cost About £1.50
a head Put a large frying pan for which you
have a lid on a high heat. Once hot,
6 green çarliston
peppers, or other lay in the peppers and weigh them
long, pointed pepper down with a saucepan. Char for five
such as romano minutes on each side, then set aside
1 tbsp white-wine
vinegar
until they’re cool enough to handle.
1 lemon, zest finely Put five of the peppers in a bowl,
grated, to get 1 tsp, add the vinegar, lemon juice and a
half juiced, to get pinch of salt, and leave to marinate.
1 tbsp, the other half
cut into 4 wedges Pull off and discard the stem of
Fine sea salt and the remaining pepper, then put it
black pepper in a food processor with the onion,
1 small onion, peeled
garlic and 25g chopped coriander.
and quartered (120g)
2 garlic cloves, Blitz to a smooth paste, then scrape
peeled and crushed into a large bowl and mix with the
25g fresh coriander, lamb, panko, lemon zest, cumin,
chopped, plus 2 tbsp
extra, finely chopped aleppo chilli, half a teaspoon of
400g lamb mince (at paprika, three-quarters of a teaspoon
least 15% fat, ideally) of salt and a good grind of pepper.
25g panko Divide the lamb mix into eight
breadcrumbs
1 tsp ground cumin 70g balls. Put one ball in your hand
½ tsp aleppo chilli, and flatten it into a disc. Put a square
plus extra to finish of feta in the centre, then wrap the
¾ tsp paprika
180g feta, cut into
meat around it. Shape the kofta into
8 equal squares a torpedo, squeezing the ends so
2 tbsp olive oil they’re slightly pointed. Repeat with
the remaining lamb mix and cheese.
Put the oil in the same frying pan
on a high heat, then lay in the koftas,
spacing them well apart (you may
have to fry them in batches). Cook
for eight minutes, turning every two
minutes, so the koftas cook and
colour evenly. Add the remaining
quarter-teaspoon of paprika, cover
and cook for two minutes more.
Transfer the koftas to a platter.
Spoon two tablespoons of oil from
the pan into the pepper bowl, then
add half the remaining coriander.
Once the koftas are cool enough
to handle, tear them open and spoon
some of the marinated peppers on
top. Sprinkle over the last
tablespoon of chopped coriander
and a generous pinch of aleppo chilli,
and serve with the lemon wedges.

4 Feast The Guardian Saturday 10 June 2023

 Spring salad
with buttermilk
feta dressing

Prep 10 min All the various elements here can teaspoon of salt and toss to combine.
Cook 25 min be prepared in advance and put Put all the ingredients for the herb
Serves 4-6 together just before serving. oil, an eighth of a teaspoon of salt
Cost About 80p and a good grind of black pepper in
a head Put the potatoes in a medium a food processor, blitz until finely
saucepan with enough well-salted chopped, then pour into a large
300g new potatoes
(about 6-8), water to cover them by about 3cm. bowl and add the baby gem, peas
scrubbed clean Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and broad beans. Lightly smash the
100g frozen (or to medium and simmer for 10-15 potatoes with your hands, add these
fresh) peas
100g frozen (or
minutes, until the tip of a knife goes to the bowl, too, then toss to coat.
fresh) broad beans through them easily. Add the peas Transfer the salad to a platter, but
2 baby gem lettuce, and broad beans to the pan, cook for hold back a couple of tablespoons of
cut lengthways into two minutes, then drain, rinse under the peas and broad beans. Drizzle
6 wedges
½ tsp aleppo chilli cold water to stop the veg cooking the feta dressing all over the top,
flakes any more, then set aside to drain. then scatter on the reserved peas
10g pecorino (or Meanwhile, make the dressing: and broad beans. Sprinkle on the
parmesan), finely
put all the ingredients bar the lemon chilli, lemon zest and pecorino, and
grated
zest in a small bowl, add a half- serve at room temperature.
For the feta dressing
120g feta, crumbled
into 2cm pieces
1 tsp pink
peppercorns, lightly
crushed in a mortar
140ml buttermilk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, zest finely
grated, to get 1 tsp,
then juiced, to get
4 tsp
Fine sea salt and
black pepper

For the herb oil

10g mint leaves
20g parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled
and finely grated
60ml olive oil

Feast 5
6 Feast The Guardian Saturday 10 June 2023
 Tamal Ray Lamb and
halloumi
Midweek meal flatbreads

Prep 10 min Pour the oil into a large frying pan

These lamb flatbreads are an
ode to a Cypriot-style pizza I had
years ago at a tiny restaurant
in London. At the time, I was
blown away by the combination of
flavours: the sweet cinnamon and
currants balanced perfectly with
the earthy lamb and salty halloumi.
I have used shop-bought flatbreads,
but pittas would also work well.
PHOTOGRAPH: LAURA EDWARDS/THE GUARDIAN. FOOD STYLING: JOSS HERD. PROP STYLING: ANNA WILKINS.
Cook 15 min on a high heat, then fry the onion,
Makes 4 stirring, for a minute or two, until
Cost About £3.90 it starts to brown at the edges.
a head Add the garlic, lamb, salt and
pepper, fry for a couple of minutes,
For the lamb
2 tsp vegetable oil then turn down the heat to medium
1 medium white
onion (150g),
and cook for another three minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and
peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves,
tomato puree, cook for two to
finely chopped three minutes more, by which
500g lamb mince time most of the liquid should
¼ tsp each table salt have evaporated and the sauce
and black pepper
1 x 400g tin chopped thickened. Take off the heat and stir
tomatoes in the cinnamon and the raisins.
2 tbsp tomato puree Arrange the flatbreads on a large
1 tbsp ground
cinnamon
oven tray. Spread the mascarpone
equally over one side of each of
50g raisins or
currants them, followed by a sprinkling
To assemble
of dried mint and then the lamb
mixture. Scatter over the grated
4 flatbreads, or
pittas halloumi, then place under a hot
250g mascarpone grill for five to six minutes, until the
2 tsp dried mint
edges of the bread are toasted and

225g halloumi,
coarsely grated the cheese is starting to brown.
Meanwhile, make the salad by
For the salad combining all the ingredients in a
400g cucumber,
chopped into bowl. Serve with the hot flatbreads.
2½cm chunks
4 medium tomatoes,
chopped into 2½cm
chunks
1 small red onion,
peeled and thinly
sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
FOOD STYLING ASSISTANT: GEORGIA RUDD. INSET: GETTY IMAGES

J
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp chopped flat-
parsle
leaf parsley

Feast 7
Rosie Sykes
The £1 store
cupboard
Cooked as soon as they are picked,
and frozen soon after, frozen peas
retain all the vegetable’s sweet, fresh
flavour. They are very comforting and
easy to transform into all sorts: pea soup,
for instance, takes mere minutes, while
crushed peas with a good dose of butter
or olive oil go well with anything from
fish fingers to poached eggs, or even
stirred through pasta – the possibilities
are endless. Frozen peas are an essential
when you’re cooking on a budget, so
even if you have just an ice box, make
sure you keep a small bag of peas in
there at all times.
8 Feast
ast
Green eggs
Prep 10 min Depending on what you have to
Infuse 5 min+ hand, you can add to or subtract
Cook 25 min from this lovely, soupy, seasonal
Serves 4 vegetable stew, but frozen peas
Cost About £1 hold the key to its sweet, light
a head summer vibes. You could also
use frozen spinach and beans,
1 vegetable stock
cube which make it an economical
3 sprigs fresh mint, year-round dish.
leaves picked, stalks
reserved
Pour 700ml boiling water into a
Sea salt and black
pepper medium casserole for which you
200g greens, finely
shredded
have a lid and that will fit under the
grill. Crumble in the stock cube,
4 spring onions,
throw in the mint stalks, a good
trimmed and finely
sliced pinch of salt and a grind of pepper,
300g frozen peas then bring to a simmer, stirring to
100g french beans,
dissolve the stock cube. Turn off the
topped and chopped
into 2cm pieces heat, then leave to infuse for at least
80g orzo or pastina five minutes and ideally up to 30.
80g creme fraiche Lift out and discard the mint
1 medium garlic
clove, peeled and stalks, then add the greens and spring
onions, bring to a simmer and cook
finely grated or
crushed for three minutes. Add the peas,
4 eggs
beans and pasta, bring back to a
simmer and cook for eight to 10
minutes, until they’re all cooked
and soft. Meanwhile, finely chop the
mint leaves, stir them into the creme
fraiche with the garlic and season.
Heat the grill to high, or turn on
the oven to the highest it will go.
One at a time, break the eggs into
a small cup, then gently slide each
of them into a different corner of the
pot. Give the broth around each egg
p
a little
l stir, so the whites start to set,
then cover and simmer for three or
the
so minutes, until the whites are well
on their way to being set.
Blob
B some of the creme fraiche
mixture on to each egg, drop the rest
mix
all around the top of the stew, then
grill or bake for three or four minutes,
gril
until the cream turns golden brown.
un
Serve warm in shallow bowls.
Se
The Guardian Saturday 10 June 2023
 Pea and
potato
pav bhaji

Prep 15 min This is a simplified version of

Cook 35 min Mumbai’s most popular street food.
Serves 4
Cost About £1.20 Put the potatoes in a pan, add water
PHOTOGRAPHS: YUKI SUGIURA/THE GUARDIAN. FOOD STYLING: HANNA MILLER. PROP STYLING: ANNA WILKINS. FOOD STYLING ASSISTANT: ISOBEL CLARKE. PORTRAIT: PATRICIA NIVEN
a head just to cover, then add a big pinch of
salt, some pepper and the turmeric.
3 potatoes, peeled
and cut into 3cm Bring to a boil, then simmer until the
cubes potatoes are soft and collapsing. Add
Sea salt and black the peas and, if the pan looks dry, a
pepper
½ tsp ground
dash of water, cook for five minutes,
turmeric then strain the liquor into a bowl.
300g frozen peas Roughly mash the spuds and peas.
35g butter Meanwhile, heat 15g butter and
1 tbsp oil
2 medium onions, the oil in a medium pan, then add all
peeled and finely but a heaped tablespoon of the
diced onions and some salt. When they
1 fresh red chilli
start to sizzle, turn the heat right
1 red, yellow or
green pepper, stalk, down, cover and cook for six to eight
pith and seeds minutes, to soften. Check from time
discarded, flesh finely to time: if they’re taking on a lot of
diced (or 120g frozen
sliced peppers, colour (a little is OK), add a splash of
defrosted and water. Add the chilli, sliced pepper,
chopped up a bit) tomato, lemon zest and coriander
4 tomatoes, chopped stalks, turn up the heat and stir-fry
into small dice
Zest and juice of for a few minutes. When the
½ lemon tomatoes are soft, stir in the ginger
20g fresh coriander, and garlic paste for a minute, then
stalks finely
chopped, leaves
add three-quarters of a tablespoon of
roughly chopped garam masala and cook for a minute.
1 tbsp garlic and Add the potato liquor and the
ginger paste mash and cook, stirring, until the mix
1 tbsp garam masala,
or pav bhaji masala has a loose, spreadable consistency.
A pinch of chilli Add a few tablespoons of water to
powder loosen, simmer for a few minutes,
4 white rolls, split
in half
then add the lemon juice and season.
Keep on a low heat while you melt
the remaining butter in a frying pan.
Set aside a third of the melted butter,
stir the remaining garam masala and
chilli powder into the pan, then lay in
the rolls cut side down to absorb the
butter. Add the coriander to the curry
and pour the reserved butter on top.
Spoon some curry on to the base
of a roll, top with raw onion,
coriander and a squeeze of lemon,
pop on the lid and tuck in.
Rosie Sykes is a chef and food writer.
Her next book, Every Last Bite:
70 Recipes to Save Time, Money and
Resources, will be published in 2024

Feast 9
10 Feast The Guardian Saturday 10 June 2023
 Chantelle Nicholson Harissa tomatoes
with butter beans
The new and herb relish
vegan
Prep 10 min Start on the tomatoes a day or so
Steep 1 day+ before you want to serve them,
Cook 15 min because the longer they bathe in
Serves 4 as a the marinade, the better – and trust
starter me, the pricking is well worth the
or snack
time and effort.
Cost About £1.30
a head
I was surrounded by gorgeous fruit and 400g baby plum or
At least a day ahead, prick the
tomatoes all over with a fork, to
vegetables when I was growing up in cherry tomatoes
Salt
ensure they drink up the luscious
New Zealand, and I still take a lot of pleasure 1 x 400g tin butter marinade. In a large bowl, whisk
beans, undrained all the marinade ingredients with
in hero-ing their epic flavour and texture. half a teaspoon of salt, then drop
For the marinade
Sun-ripened tomatoes almost bursting with 2 tbsp harissa paste in the tomatoes, toss gently to
1 tbsp tomato paste coat, cover and leave to sit at room
sweetness really can’t be beaten and, as we 1 tsp apple cider temperature for a day or two (if
vi
vinegar
approach mid-June, these shiny, bright pearls 75ml olive oil
it’s hot outside, a day should be
plenty), turning them regularly.
should be hitting our shelves round about For the herb relish On
O the day you want to serve,
PHOTOGRAPH (INCLUDING COVER): LOUISE HAGGER/THE GUARDIAN. FOOD STYLING: EMILY KYDD. PROP STYLING: JENNIFER KAY.

now. Paired with some fiery harissa, they ½ bunch coriander,

including stalks,
gently pulse the butter beans
with the liquid from ttheir tin
make a bowlful of true goodness, especially roughly chopped
½ bunch parsley, in a blender or food proces
processor,
when served with slightly crushed butter including stalks,
roughly chopped
then season with salt to taste.
ta
For the relish, pop every
everything
beans and a zesty herb relish.
FOOD STYLING ASSISTANT: KRISTINE JAKOBSSON. PHOTO ASSISTANT: SOPHIE BRONZE. INSET: GETTY IMAGES

2 small gherkins,
finely chopped in a blender with a few spoonfuls
sp
½ green chilli, finely of water, blitz until almost
almo smooth
chopped – you want it to have a b bit of
1 tsp apple cider
vinegar texture – then season w with salt.
100g rapeseed oil To serve, spoon the beans on to
½ tsp brown sugar a platter, pile on the tomatoes
t and
any marinade that th they haven’t
To serve
Lettuce leaves, or soaked up, then drizzle
dri the relish
toast or flatbreads all over the top. Se
Serve with lettuce
leaves for wrappin
wrapping, or on toast, or
slathered on to chcharred flatbreads.
Nicholson is chef/patron
Chantelle Nichols
London W1. Meera Sodha
of Apricity, Lond
is away

Feast 11
12 Feast The Guardian Saturday 10 June 2023
 Ravinder Bhogal
Summer sardines

There is more to sardines
than just toast. While
those fish crammed into
tins are an indispensable,
store-cupboard
ingredient, there’s so
much to love about fresh
sardines, too. They are
cheap, sustainable,
versatile, packed full of
omega-3 fatty acids,
vitamins and minerals,
and, most importantly,
they are delicious and
cook in no time at all.
PHOTOGRAPH: LAURA EDWARDS/THE GUARDIAN. FOOD STYLING: JOSS HERD. PROP STYLING: ANNA WILKINS. FOOD STYLING ASSISTANT: GEORGIA RUDD
lovely with this spiky and Sea salt and pepper Griddled sardine
aromatic Yemeni sauce. 250g natural yoghurt bruschetta
1 tsp cumin seeds,
Whisk the oil, pul biber toasted and roughly
and some seasoning in a crushed
shallow bowl, then add 1 green chilli, finely Prep 15 min
the sardines and toss to chopped, seeds and all
1 handful dill, roughly Steep 1 hr
coat. Leave to marinate
while you get on with chopped Cook 20 min
the fennel and zhoug. The juice of 1 lime Serves 2
To pickle the fennel, A pinch of caster sugar
Cost About £2.10
bring the vinegar, salt a head
and sugar to a boil, then These are best served
take off the heat, add hot out of the fryer with
4 fresh sardines, gutted
the sliced fennel and an ice-cold beer. If you’re
and heads removed
fennel seeds, and leave nervous about bones,

Barbecued sardines
with quick pickled
fennel and zhoug
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Serves 4 minutes on each side, or
Cost About £2 a head
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pul biber
Sea salt and pepper
8 fresh sardines, gutted
Lemon wedges, to serve
For the pickled fennel
200ml white-wine
vinegar
A large pinch of sea salt
100g caster sugar
1 large fennel bulb, thinly
sliced (use a mandoline,
if you have one)
1 tsp fennel seeds,
lightly crushed
For the zhoug
1 big bunch coriander,
roughly chopped, stalks
and all
2 garlic cloves
1 green chilli, chopped
Seeds from 4 cardamom
pods, crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds,
toasted and crushed
1 tsp caraway seeds,
toasted and crushed
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
50ml olive oil
Whole sardines are the
perfect fish for a
barbecue: they cook
very quickly and are
to cool. don’t be – they’re so tiny
Put everything for that you can eat them
the zhoug bar the oil in a without too much worry.
blender, whiz to a coarse
paste, then add the oil,
First make the raita. Put
blend again and season.
the grated cucumber in
Heat a barbecue (or
a colander lined with a
griddle pan). Cook the
clean tea towel, sprinkle
sardines for three to four
with salt and leave to sit
for 20-30 minutes.
until caramelised and
Squeeze out any excess
charred. Serve with the
moisture, then stir the
pickle, a drizzle of zhoug
cucumber into the
and a lemon wedge.
yoghurt with the rest of
the raita ingredients and
refrigerate until needed.
Sardine pakoras Sift the chickpea flour,
with raita cornflour and baking
powder into a bowl, add
the spices apart from
the chaat masala, season
Prep 20 min
with salt, then whisk in
Salt 20-30 min
200ml water; if the
Cook 15 min
batter is still a bit stiff,
Serves 4 onion in the oil, vinegar,
beat in a little more until
Cost About £1.60 it has the consistency of
a head double cream.
Heat the oil in a deep,
heavy-based saucepan
75g chickpea flour
25g cornflour (no more than half-full)
to 180C (if you don’t
1 tsp baking powder
have a thermometer, it’s
1 thumb fresh ginger,
ready when a cube of
peeled and finely grated
½ tsp chilli powder bread turns golden in 20
¼ tsp ground turmeric seconds) and line a plate
1 tsp ajwain or carom with kitchen paper. Dip
seeds the sardines in the
Sea salt, to taste batter, shake off any
Sunflower oil, for frying excess, then deep fry in
8 fresh sardines, batches for two to three
cleaned and butterflied minutes, until crisp and
Chaat masala, to taste golden brown. Drain on
Lime wedges, to serve the kitchen paper,
sprinkle with the chaat
For the raita masala and serve hot
½ cucumber, deseeded with the raita and
and coarsely grated wedges of lime.
Olive oil
2 slices ciabatta or
sourdough
1 garlic clove, peeled
and halved
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
A few basil leaves, torn
For the dressing
1 red onion, peeled and
sliced into fine rings
2 tbsp good olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried oregano
A little sea salt
Sardines piled on Italian
bread with perfumed
basil and ripe tomatoes
will transport you to
coastal holiday lunches.
An hour or so before you
want to cook, steep the
lemon juice, oregano
and salt to taste – the
acid will take away any
acrid flavour, leaving the
onion mellow and sweet.
Heat a griddle or
frying pan until it’s very
hot. Brush the sardines
with a little olive oil.
Rub the bread with the
garlic, then drizzle with
olive oil. Put the fish and
bread on the griddle and
cook for three to four
minutes on each side,
until the bread is golden
and the sardines opaque-
fleshed and charred.
Put the sardines on
the bread, top with the
tomatoes, onion salad
and basil, and serve.

Feast 13
Fiona Beckett
Indie or supermarket?
It pays to shop around
As I said last week, price is not
the same as value. Just because
supermarkets have a monopoly
on sub-£7 wines doesn’t mean they
are cheapest for everything. They
rely on us believing that everything
we buy from them is keenly priced,
when in reality it may not be,
especially if it’s not on promotion
and involves a famous name.
Supermarkets are generally not so
good at providing less well-known
alternatives that offer better value.
I was reminded of this at a tasting
put on by the very smart wine
merchant Haynes, Hanson & Clark,
which has branches in Chelsea and
Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds.
Unaffordable? Surprisingly not. They
have a fantastic selection of clarets,
starting with the smartly bottled
Château Frontenac Bordeaux
Four great summer buys
from wine merchants
Parcelles Pinot Noir 2022
£12.10 Haynes, Hanson
& Clark, 13%. Deliciously
perfumed and better than
most cheap burgundy
Quincy Villalin Domaine
Jacques Rouzé £17.25
Haynes, Hanson & Clark,
13%. Lesser-known Loire
sauvignon blanc
Pazo da Maga 2022
Karma do Sil £16.95
Lea & Sandeman, 13%.
Irresistibly bright godello
from northern Spain
A Dos Manos Garnacha
A Pie de Tierra £15.95
Lea & Sandeman, 14.5%.
Brimming with summer
berry fruit. Scrumptious
Supérieur 2019 (14.5%) at £10.95
a bottle (or £58.20, or £9.70 a bottle,
by the case of six). And it would be
so much better to buy their Faure-
Beausejour 2019, a fleshy, ripe,
merlot-dominated fronsac at £12.35
(or £65.70 by the half-case), than
most of the indifferent Saint-
Émilions you find on supermarket
shelves. Incidentally, supermarkets
do score when they go off-piste in
this way, too: Tesco, for instance,
has an absolutely cracking bordeaux-
like bergerac right now called Eglise
Saint Jacques (13%) for just £6.50.
(Bergerac is just next door to its
more famous neighbour.)
Household names such as chablis,
sancerre and châteauneuf-du-pape
are no longer the bargains they once
were, but if you want to experience
what they have to offer, it’s a much
better bet to buy them from an indie
than from a supermarket (or from
a restaurant wine list, where they’re
definitely best avoided). Better still
to buy one of the lesser-known
appellations such as the deliciously
summery quincy, also from the
Loire, in today’s pick. My late
husband introduced me to it when The good Originally created in 2001 by Audrey
I first met him, so I’ve always had Saunders, founder of the Pegu
a soft spot for the stuff.
mixer Club in New York, the old Cuban is
PHOTOGRAPH: ROB LAWSON/THE GUARDIAN. DRINK STYLING: SEB DAVIS
Rosé is going to be cheaper in Old Cuban essentially a mojito with extra sass.
supermarkets, but not that much, Our twist on it uses Chinese five-
given that they’re also pushing Serves 1 spice bitters, so if you can get hold
bottles that cost £15-20. The creamy of a bottle, use that instead of the
Domaine Tour Campanets Esprit 45ml dark rum – we Angostura – we are a Hong Kong-
use Diplomático’s
Rosé (12.5%), again from Haynes, Reserva Exclusiva inspired cocktail bar, after all.
Hanson & Clark, is lovely and, at 22ml lime juice
£13.50 (or £12 by the half-case), not (from about 1 lime) Put the first five ingredients in
15ml 2:1 sugar syrup
unreasonably priced for Provence. 5-6 mint leaves,
a shaker filled with ice, shake
For an unusual and delectably plus 1 leaf extra hard, then double strain into a
peachy white from Provence, to garnish chilled coupe. Top up with your
meanwhile, try the MiP (Made in 2 dashes Angostura bubbles of choice, garnish with
bitters, or, even
Provence) Classic White from Lea & better, Shanghai a mint leaf and serve.
Sandeman (£16.95, or £14.95 by the Shirley Chinese Five- Dan Ho, bar manager, Lucy Wong,
case, 12.5%), which is gorgeous. (As Spice Bitters (see London W1
introduction)
I’ve said before, it can often make 22ml brut
sense to split the cost with friends champagne or
or wine-loving neighbours.) prosecco, to top
Feast 15
16 Feast The Guardian Saturday 10 June 2023
 Ravneet Gill Cherry
muffin
The sweet spot cake

Prep 10 min Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/

Cook 1 hr gas 4 and line a 20cm cake tin with
Serves 6-8 baking paper.
Cost About 50p Mix all the dry ingredients in
a head a large bowl, and whisk the wet ones
200g golden caster in a separate bowl, leaving the
sugar cherries to one side for now.
220g plain flour
This is such a great cake, because 10g baking powder
Add the wet mix to the dry, stir to
combine, then fold in the cherries.
it’s so versatile, allowing you to Zest of 1 lemon
A pinch of salt Pour the cake mixture into the
incorporate your favourite fruits year- 2 medium eggs,
beaten
prepared tin and bake for about 50
minutes, until it has risen and is
round. Besides cherries, it also pairs 200g Greek yoghurt
100g melted butter golden, and a skewer comes out
beautifully with raspberries, damsons ¼ tsp almond clean. Leave to cool, then turn out,
extract slice and serve.
and apples, for instance. The process of 200g fresh or
tinned cherries,
making it is incredibly simple, too, with pitted or strained

an end result that boasts a delightful,

fluffy texture. It’s also one of those cakes
that fits seamlessly into either a brunch
or an afternoon tea spread.
PHOTOGRAPH: LAURA EDWARDS/THE GUARDIAN. FOOD STYLING: BENJAMINA EBUEHI.
PROP STYLING: ANNA WILKINS. FOOD ASSISTANT: JULIA ADEN. INSET: GETTY IMAGES

Feast 17
Felicity Cloake
The perfect ...
Crab rarebit
Welsh rarebit with added crab
elevates humble cheese on toast
from an everyday tea to something
far more luxurious. Little wonder that,
though the idea has been around since
at least the 1930s, it has in recent years
started popping up on an increasing
number of restaurant menus. Best
of wall, though, it’s as easy as you
might imagine to recreate at home.
The crab
Ideally, you would use both brown
and white meat here, the brown
for its savoury richness and the
white for its flaky texture and sweet
flavour. Simon Stallard from The
Hidden Hut spreads the brown meat
on to the toast and folds the white
into the cheese mixture, but it melts
so obligingly into the topping in the
other versions I try that I’m going to
incorporate both in mine. That said,
the delicately sweet white meat is
easily overwhelmed, so, like Galton
Blackiston, I’m saving a little to
sprinkle on top as a garnish.
The cheese
Cheddar is the standard choice, but
the nutty sweetness of the gruyere
in Tamasin Day-Lewis’ book All You
Cann Eat works even
even better with the
same flavours in the crab. And if
you’re not a fan of crab and cheese
together, you’ll be relieved to know
that Bryn Williams’ recipe in Bryn’s
Kitchen doesn’t use cheese at all.
The sauce
The recipes I try are fairly evenly
split between those with a white
sauce base, such as Stallard,
Blackiston and Salcombe’s Crab
Shed, and those that rely on the
crab alone, enriched with egg yolk
(Sue Lawrence and Williams) or
butter (Day-Lewis). The former
comfortingly creamy approach has
the virtue of allowing the cook to
add other ingredients to suit their
own tastes, replacing some of the
usual milk with ale (Blackiston)
or cider and double cream (Crab
Shed). The latter
la yields a more

2
sp
Add the egg
yolk, cheese and
spring onion, then
st
stir in the brown
cr
crab meat and a
1 In a bowl, mix
the mustard
powder, Tabasco
lit
little of the white

and Worcestershirere
sauce until they
create a paste

18 Feast Th
T
The
he
he Guardian
Gu
Guaarrrd
ard dian
dia
ian
ia
an S
Sat
Sa
Saturday
aturd
at urrd
u rda
ay
y 10 Ju
June
une 2
2023
02
0 23
2 3
intense, crustacean flavour, which spring onions. Day-Lewis’s dash of Prep 5 min finger food. No one wants hot crab
I’m drawn to, though if you would sherry provides a more complex, Cook 10 min down their front.
prefer a milder result and less nutty dryness, while Lawrence, Makes 2

PHOTOGRAPHS: ROBERT BILLINGTON. FOOD STYLIST: LUCY-RUTH HATHAWAY

washing-up than a white sauce who credits the recipe in A Taste of Cost About £2.50 Perfect crab rarebit
involves, you might like Jane Scotland’s Islands to Ron Goudie of a head Mix the mustard powder, Tabasco
Lovett’s mayonnaise-based take in Islay, brings out the crab’s maritime (or cayenne) and Worcestershire
her new book Deliciously Simple. notes with a slug of whisky. 2 tsp English sauce to a paste, then stir in the egg
mustard powder
Herbs are strictly optional: I rather A few shakes of yolk, cheese and spring onion, if
Flavour enhancers like Stallard’s chives, but Day-Lewis’s Tabasco, or a pinch using. Add all the brown crab meat
The classic rarebit seasonings of anise-heavy chervil might well work of cayenne pepper and 20g of the white meat, and
or paprika
Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco better with crab alone and would 1 tsp Worcestershire
season with black pepper.
or chilli are justly popular here, too, be particularly nice with Williams’ sauce Heat the grill to medium. Put two
the former working particularly lemon zest. 1 egg yolk slices of bread underneath, toast
well with the sweetness of the crab. 50g gruyere, or until lightly crisp, then turn over
cheddar, grated
Mustard is also a common addition The bread 1 spring onion, and repeat. Turn up the heat. Divide
– dijon for Lawrence and Day-Lewis, Something with structural integrity, sliced (optional) the topping between the toasts,
English for Stallard and Blackiston, such as sourdough or Crab Shed’s 30g brown crab spreading it right to the edges, then
meat
wholegrain for Crab Shed. I’m going rye bread, is advisable, though most 45g white crab meat
grill for three or four minutes, until
to use the sweetly fiery English breads, from soda to crumpets, will Black pepper golden and bubbling.
mustard powder I favour for cheese oblige. I prefer it toasted on both 2 slices of bread Remove, top with the remaining
on toast, which also helpfully acts as sides first for extra crunch, which is – I favour rye or white crab meat and chopped
rab m
sourdough
a binding starch, as well as Lovett’s wise if you’re serving the rarebit as A few chives, finely chives,, if using, and
an serve hot.
chopped (optional)

3 Lightl toastt the

Lightly
bread on both
sides, the
oth
read
then spread
the rareb ix on
rarebit mix
top and grill
g l until
golden an
and bubbling

4 Quickly spoon
half the white
crab meat on to each
rarebit, top with
chopped chives and
serve piping hot

Feast 19
 Kitchen aide
How much salt
is too much salt?
My wife tells me off for adding salt
to my pasta water, and seasoning my
food during cooking. How do I keep
to sensible salt levels?
Nick
Something tells me I’m going to get
into all sorts of bother for wading
into a marital debate, but here goes
nothing: according to the NHS,
adults should consume no more
than 6g salt a day (that’s about a
teaspoon), but Action on Salt says
we’re eating about 8.1g a day on
average. So, Nick’s wife is right that
we have a problem with salt.
To answer his question, though,
you need to take a step back and
look at what you’re eating as a
whole. “Overall, ultra-processed
and shop-bought, precooked foods
have a relatively large amount of
salt in them,” says Dr Saliha
Mahmood Ahmed, author of The
Kitchen Prescription and former
MasterChef winner. By which she
means ready meals, pasta sauces,
crisps and the like. If much of your
diet is made up of such foods, then,
Ahmed says, you are probably
getting too much salt. However, if
Nick mostly cooks from scratch and
avoids highly salted foods in the
first place, then he’s in luck: “It’s
probably OK,” Ahmed says. That
said, be wary of hidden salt in, say,
toast: Action on Salt research found
that three out of four packaged
sliced bread sold in supermarketss
contain as much (or more) salt per er
slice than even a bag of ready
salted crisps.
And salt is a tricky thing to avoid.
oid.
As Samin Nosrat writes in Salt, Fat, at,
PHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY IMAGES
Acid, Heat, “Salt has a greater
impact on flavour than any other
ingredient. Learn to use it well andnd
your food will taste good.” While the
likes of herbs and spices aren’t goinging
to replace salt in your cooking, they ey
can help if you want to cut back.
“When you introduce complexity of
20 Feast
flavour profiles, whether that’s
citrus, floral or whatever, there is an Waste not ...
argument that you can then reduce
salt levels, because you’ve got so
Wilted herbs
many other flavours in there as
well,” Ahmed explains.
Tom Hunt
But Nick might also want to The Middle Eastern herb za’atar
consider if he has just developed too grows across the Levant and has
much tolerance for the stuff: “Palate a unique flavour similar to thyme
training is also important,” Ahmed and marjoram. Za’atar is most
says, “because even small amounts commonly known, however, as a
of salt change the way food tastes spice mix that contains the herb,
very rapidly.” As in any tricky usually combined with sesame
relationship, sometimes you need seeds, cumin, coriander and sumac,
to stop and reassess: “Ask yourself: and that has a sour, citrus twang.
has salt become desirable to me? Many people, professional chefs
Do I feel I can’t taste my food and home cooks alike, make their
without salt?” And don’t be tempted own za’atar-style spice mix, not
to cook on autopilot. Case in point: least because it’s a brilliant way to
while Ahmed does salt her pasta use up surplus herbs and herb stalks.
cooking water, “that light, inherent
seasoning to the pasta means you Za’atar-style spice mix
don’t need the same hit of salt in Blanch 100g surplus herbs and/or
the sauce”. saved herb stalks in boiling water for
As with most things in life, it 15 seconds, then strain and transfer
pays to be mindful: “Salt is one of to a bowl of iced water. Strain
the first things you taste,” Ahmed again, then squeeze dry in a clean
says. “If you spend time chewing tea towel. Roughly chop the herbs,
your food, tasting all the flavours then spread out on a baking tray and
and sensing the salt, maybe you leave in a warm place to dry out for
will realise that you’ve been a few days (or dry in the residual
adding too much.” Well, that’s the heat of the oven after using it for
hope, anyway. another purpose). Once dry, grind to
Anna Berrill a coarse powder in a mortar, spice
Got a culinary dilemma? grinder or blender, then tip into a
Email feast@theguardian.com small bowl.
Toast 25g sesame seeds in a
Printed at Walstead Group, Elvington, York YO41 4AU
dry frying pan until they start to
brown, then add to the dried herbs.
In the same pan, toast two and a
half teaspoons each of cumin and
coriander seeds until they begin to
pop and smell aromatic. Grind to a
medium-fine powder, then add to
the herbs. Stir in three teaspoons of
dried thyme, marjoram or oregano
(or a combination of all three),
five teaspoons of sumac and three
teaspoons of flaky sea salt, then
decant the lot into a clean jar and
seal. It will keep for up to a year.
The Guardian Saturday 10 June 2023

Rachel Roddy
Tales from an
Italian kitchen
Fried polenta with cheese
We had started washing up the
night before, but glasses with bits
of wine in them were still on the
table, along with several bottles,
odd plates and assorted other
debris. A table the morning after is
like a beach after a storm, so clearing
it is a bit like beachcombing, picking
through the crusts of bread,
mandarin peelings, spills and caps,
while also discovering that the
wire cage from the fizzy wine has
been re-twisted into a stick man,
a Ferrero Rocher wrapper is now
a ring and a walnut shell has been
turned into a tiny ashtray.
The table didn’t belong to me,
but to an old friend. We had both
enjoyed plenty of wine, and it was
Sunday, and raining outside, and
everyone else was either sleeping or
under duvets and watching stuff on
their devices, so there was no
reason or rush to do anything.
We sat at the table with the debris,
drinking coffee for ages, and
deciding to move only when we
absolutely needed to eat – the kids,
too. There were pots and pans all
over the stove, and we needed some
space. The biggest pot had what
seemed to me extremely dry
remains at the bottom, so I put it
in the sink and turned on the tap,
figuring that a good soak would help.
I am still not sure how my friend
managed to get from the table to
the tap so quickly, especially given
PHOTOGRAPH: RACHEL RODDY/THE GUARDIAN
the state of us. She leapt up,
shouting, “Stop!” and, as she did,
slammed the tap off and tipped
the pan upside down. “They are
the best bits, you maniac,” she said
(in Italian), before sitting down
again and rubbing her head.
Fortunately, polenta left
overnight in a pan is resistant
and firm enough to be almost
waterproof, so the water I’d sent
in was easily tipped out and
the remains patted dry with a
kitchen towel.
By this point, everyone was
awake, so the clearing up was
shared in order to start eating again.
Getting overnight polenta out of a
pan requires mixed implements, if
you want to get at every single bit.
A spoon is best for scooping out
the softer bits, or you can shave
them off with a knife, while a
spatula is best for scraping down
the sides, and a flexible palette knife
is ideal for the bits that seem to be
soldered to the bottom.
Cookery writer of the year
Once it was all out of the pan,
the polenta looked like an
enormous heap of uneven rubble,
which is the key to its fried success.
First, a good amount of butter and
olive oil were heated in the biggest
iron frying pan, until they foamed.
A loose layer of polenta was then
added and pressed down, so the
bottom developed a golden crust
and sort of held together (although
neatness is not the aim here),
before the whole thing was flipped.
While the new bottom got a crust
of its own, the top was covered
thickly with grated parmesan,
which melted and created a mesh
in all the gaps. The granular nature
of polenta means that, when fried
in this way, it develops a great
crust, as well as a centre that is a
little like custard.
Eggs and bacon were then fried
in other pans and piled on top of
each serving of cheese-polenta
rubble, which, at that moment, was
one of the best breakfasts I had
ever eaten.
It is also one of the best snacks.
And you don’t even have to leave
the polenta to set in a pan, either;
leftover soft polenta can be
scraped into an oiled tray or on to
a piece of greaseproof paper and
left to set firm overnight. Then, the
next evening, or the one after that,
Go with the grain: when you open a bottle of wine, cut
leftover polenta slices or thin wedges from the fat
can be fried, topped
with cheese and pancake of polenta, fry them until
served as breakfast golden and, in the last seconds of
or an evening snack cooking, sprinkle very generously
with a glass of wine with parmesan, which again should
be allowed to melt like a mesh.
However, if you do happen to
leave the polenta in the pan for
hours, once you’ve excavated it
and turned it into breakfast or a
snack with a cold drink, fill the
pan with water and leave it to
soak before even thinking about
tackling the actual washing-up.
Feast 21
Grace Dent
‘Thoughtfully made and
determinedly different’
The story of Clay’s, an independent
Indian restaurant in Caversham,
Berkshire, is testament to the level
of wild-eyed determination needed
to follow your dreams and open your
own place. The current hospitality
climate suggests that, by 2024, my
closest “restaurant” on the east
London/Essex border could well be
the Cinnabon concession at my local
Asda, so my hope is that, by the time
the current madness eventually
ends, at least some family-run,
bespoke, flights of the imagination
such as Clay’s will have survived.
Serving authentic Hyderbadi food
that will puzzle anyone looking for
a garish orange chicken tikka masala
22 Feast
PHOTOGRAPHS: MARIA BELL/THE GUARDIAN
with half-rice, half-chips, Clay’s is Clay’s Kitchen
now in its second incarnation, this & Bar
time in a suburb of Reading north of 22-24 Prospect
the town centre. If you take the train Street, Caversham,
to Reading, you can walk to Clay’s in Reading, Berkshire,
10-15 minutes, through the park and 0118 9476060,
hello@clayskitchen.
over Caversham bridge, which at the co.uk for bookings.
moment has a Hitchcockian number Open lunch Thurs-
of ducks, geese and swans milling Sat, noon-3pm
about, which is wonderful, although (small plates menu
only); dinner Tues-
ornithophobics may prefer to take Sat, 5-11pm; Sun
a cab. Either way, you cannot miss brunch noon-5pm.
Clay’s: it was once a Wetherspoon’s, Small plates £6.50-
ergo it is enormous, and the front is £11, à la carte from
about £40 a head,
now painted TeleTubbies Laa-Laa- all plus drinks and
yellow with Royal Mail-red lettering. service
Everything about Clay’s says:
“This time, we are going big.”
The Guardian Saturday 10 June 2023

Nandana Syamala and her
husband, Sharat, first opened their
doors in the heart of Reading back
in 2018, and quickly made a name
for themselves with their clay-pot
biryanis, squid pakoras and bhuna
venison. Then, in lockdown, Clay’s
started sending out mail-order,
vacuum-packed curries and sides,
delivering first around Reading and
then, hyper-ambitiously, nationwide.
Many “professional eaters” raved
about them, lapping up their kheema
biryani, spiced fried chicken livers
and beetroot potato tikki. Pivoting to
home delivery during lockdown to
save your restaurant’s skin was not,
I’ll bet, the great fun that many chefs
tried to make it look on Instagram.
Rather, it was a logistical headache.
Clay’s not only made it work, but
they then made plans to move to a
larger venue, which, due to building
issues, was delayed and left them
unable to trade through December
2022 and almost took them under.
Nandana’s blog about the new,
improved Clay’s is candid: “I have
put everything into this, including
my health, wealth and soul. I am not
the same person I was a few years
ago. I have lost a bit of myself to
Clay’s … All I have is this obsession
with creating something special.”
Well, Clay’s is indeed special. It’s
impossible to sit down to a generous
plate of cabbage pakora with green
coriander chutney (pictured above)
or crab minapa garelu (savoury crab
doughnuts; below, left), and not
think that this is thoughtfully made
and determinedly different. Those
“donuts” are a rather gothic-looking
dish of crab meat formed into small,
chubby rings, dipped in peppery
black gram flour, then deep-fried and
submerged in a bowl of rather brown
tomato and curry leaf rasam. Chepala
pulusu, a fish curry cooked, the menu
says, “the way my mom makes it”, is
also gloriously, defiantly brown, and
features a large chunk of cod in a rich,
punchily spiced tamarind sauce that’s
ideal for scooping up with blush-
coloured beetroot roti and methi roti
fragrant with fenugreek leaves.
This is a vast, echoey room that
needs some work on the acoustics,
as well as possibly more staff on the
floor to keep track of orders, because
the ones they’ve got seem to be
working flat out already. But the
food more than makes up for the
occasional chaos: those chicken
livers, or bhooni khaleji, for instance,
Restaurant writer of the year
were fried in heaps of cumin and
coriander and had a lovely rush of
dried mango powder. Clay’s rightly
renowned Hyderabadi-style dum
biryani is fluffy and fragrant, can be
made with mutton, paneer, shrimp,
lamb or chicken, and comes with a
cooling raita and a balm-like,
Instafeed toffee-coloured, creamy salan. In
fact, Clay’s made me go home, get
out some books and try to work out
what I’d eaten, such as the
mahekhalya sauce with the beef osso
bucco that’s made from onions and
crushed coconut, or the Portuguese-
influenced shrimp moilee with
Il Parco buffalo coconut milk and curry leaves.
mozzarella from Having gone big on the vankaya
Eataly, a place fry of long aubergines in peanut
where all common
sense evaporates and sesame seed and the tomato
pappu – a dal with tomato and black
mustard seeds – there was no room
left for dessert, so I have no idea
what the anokhi kheer, or onion
pudding garnished with pistachio,
even looks like. But Clay’s has one of
those menus that I feel I’ll keep going
McNeill’s passion back to. Food doesn’t get much more
fruit preserve. The personal than this and there is a pure
Savoy puts this stuff
on its room service
Field of Dreams vibe to the fact that
breakfast tray, don’t it even exists: “If you build it, they
you know? will come,” Shoeless Joe said in the
@gracedent film. In Clay’s case, I think they will.
Feast 23*